Non-HTTPS Sites now Labeled ‘Not Secure’

Chrome 56 Update: Non-HTTPS Sites now Labeled 'Not Secure'

31/01/2017

Chrome 56 Update: Non-HTTPS Sites now Labeled 'Not Secure'

Carly Magnavacca, Account Manager

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At the end of January 2017, Google’s latest edition of the Chrome web-browser was released. Chrome 56 boasted developments for small performance improvements such as faster page loads and a new unsecure page alerts feature. This update is the first part in a staged rollout, which aims to encourage websites to get rid of plain old HTTP for good.

So what do these changes mean for your website?

If your site is not using HTTPS (also known as SSL), and you have pages on your website that collect sensitive information i.e. pages that collect passwords and credit card details, a message will appear in the location bar that says ‘Not Secure’. This change may confuse your site visitors who may interpret this message as meaning that your website poses a potential threat to security or has been compromised.

So what do you need to do if your site is not HTTPS?

In the first instance, we recommend contacting your hosting provider; some providers offer free SSL whilst others can advise on an easy installation method, which will help you get your website Chrome 56 ready in no time.

Alternatively, for the more tech minded, Google have a step-by-step technical description of how to implement SSL available here.

Want more information on how to implement SSL on your website? Contact us for more details.